


A Pinch Of Silver

by Checklatechippancakes



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's
Genre: Brotherly Bonding, Ear Piercings, Gen, I wrote this six weeks ago on yuusei's birthday meaning today is the day he could switch em out, birthday fic, you don't want to know how much field research went into this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-18
Updated: 2018-08-18
Packaged: 2019-06-29 08:18:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15725544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Checklatechippancakes/pseuds/Checklatechippancakes
Summary: While the others set up the “surprise” party, Crow and Jack drag Yuusei off to somewhere entirely not his taste. At least Yuusei is more than distracted from the party.





	A Pinch Of Silver

“Why are we at the mall?” Yuusei asked, being pushed through the mall doors. “Is this a distraction so Aki and the others can finish setting up my surprise party?”

Crow laughed. “Who says you’re getting a party?”

“And why would _we_ be the distraction?” Jack scoffed.

“Well for starters,” Yuusei said, shaking his brothers off him, preferring to follow than to be pushed, “Jack would be no help setting up, and Crow is too afraid of Kiryuu, who will _also_ likely be there.”

“I’m not here because of him!” Crow shouted, a bit too loud for a public place. Fortunately few shoppers were nearby.

“So you admit there’s a party.”

“...Fuck.”

Jack cleared his throat, the brothers diverting their attention to him. “Can we just go to… ‘the place’?”

Crow nodded, grabbing Yuusei’s hand. “Let’s go!” Before Yuusei could ask, he was already being dragged off again.

* * *

The three stood in front of a pastel colour coated store. There were small stuffed toys with massive eyes, hair accessories with about every flower known to man tacked on them, and very shiny jewelry.

“Claire’s?” Yuusei asked, crossing his arms. “Why the he-” He noticed young girls walking past him into the store. “-Heck, are we here?”

“Well,” Crow stated, fiddling with his earring, “you’re missing a vital accessory that both of your cool brothers have.”

Yuusei blinked.

“Earrings,” Jack said, punching Crow for being entirely too vague. “Your ears aren’t pierced.” Jack looked to the side sheepishly. “Technically mine aren’t either, but clip-ons are a valid substitution.”

“They really aren’t. You’re just scared.” Crow looked around to see if there were any nearby children. “ _You P-U-S-_ ”

“Can we just go in already?” Yuusei interrupted, wringing his hands. “The sooner we get in, the sooner we get out.”

The three walked in and immediately stuck out like sore thumbs. Yuusei’s dark clothes looked like he should be hanging in a Hot Topic: the polar opposite of a Claire’s. Jack looked like he belonged in literally any other clothing store, which was especially apparent when he almost hit his head on the doorframe. Outside of his markers and height, Crow didn’t stick out too much. He was wearing his Blackbird Delivery jacket which made him much softer and approachable.

“Hello, err… gentlemen,” a saleslady with a flower crown on her head greeted. She went over the current sales while Crow snuck off to the back. Yuusei followed him, not interested in anything the woman was saying.

“What are you looking at?” Yuusei asked, catching Crow holding a plastic container, who got immediately embarrassed.

“Ahhh…” Crow said, attempting to gesture the item away from himself. Seeing there was no way around it, he pulled it back out. “I feel like she’d like it. She’s pretty creative.”

“Nail polish,” Yuusei read. Six different colours, all of which contained glitter. “You realize if you get her this she’s gonna paint your nails, no way around it. And you wear _fingerless_ gloves.”

Crow placed a hand over his heart. “Painted fingers are a sign of a true dad.”

“Whatever.” Yuusei leaned in very close to Crow, glaring. “ _Don’t steal it._ ”

“ _I’m noooooooot,_ ” Crow defended, pouting. “I’m not gonna celebrate your birthday in holding.”

“Bad news,” Jack called from the front of the store, Crow and Yuusei following the voice. “They don’t have crab starter earrings.”

Crow looked up to Yuusei, feigning sadness. “We should go somewhere else then. Yuusei NEEDS crab earrings.”

Yuusei’s face fell. “I don’t _want_ crab earrings.” He intended to drop it there, but something festered. “What even _is_ the crab joke? Yes, I’m a Cancer. Congratulations. You know 8% of the Zodiac. It doesn’t make me a crab. I mean, Crow, you’re a Virgo and you’re not a virg-”

“If you’re going to be picky,” Jack interrupted, handing the chained display case over to Yuusei, “pick one out yourself.”

“AND,” Crow said, elbowing Jack in the ribs, “don’t pick anything too expensive. Jack is too stingy to put in his share, so that’s why we’re here in the first place.”

“First place?” Yuusei asked, looking up in surprise. “Is this stuff…” Yuusei ran his hand over the display case of studs, “Safe?”

Crow scoffed. “Course it’s safe. Plus, anywhere is an upgrade compared to where I got these boys done,” he said, gesturing to his dangling nut earrings.

Yuusei wasn’t too relieved. “Where… did you get yours pierced?”

“Prison,” Crow answered.

Fear and panic crossed Yuusei’s face, a million nerves a minute. “How were they-”

“ _Very_ infected,” Crow answered. Then he shrugged. “I got better.”

Despite the sheer panic and desire to continue telling Crow that was a stupid idea, Yuusei returned his attention to the display. “Guys, I already told you, I really can’t decide this kind of thing on the fly.” He went to place the case down. “Maybe I can come back tomorrow with an idea.”

“Just texted Rally,” Crow said, on his phone. “I’m sure he’ll help you through this.” He turned, walking to the register. “I’m gonna pay for the polish. I’ll tell you if he texts back.”

Yuusei turned to see Jack sitting in the high up chair as if it were the throne back in the Satellite. “I can’t believe you had all the money in the world and with it you bought _clip-on earrings._ ”

Jack’s eyes opened and he glared at Yuusei. “A king shouldn’t put himself in harm’s way. It just isn’t wise.”

He quirked an eyebrow. “Jack, your profession was to play a card game while driving 200 kmph on a motorcycle.” His arms crossed. “That’s about the _most_ harm someone can put themself into.”

Jack was about to continue arguing, but was cut off by Crow coming back with his purchase in a bag. “Rally texted back.”

Jack hopped off the seat leaning to see what Crow’s phone said. “Did he ask where the crab earrings were?” Yuusei punched his shoulder in retaliation, also looking to the phone.

Yuusei’s eyebrows furrowed. “Tell Rally **no way**.”

“You’re gonna deny Rally like this?” Crow asked, putting his phone away. “When you don’t even know what you want? _Shame on you._ ”

“I agree, Yuusei,” Jack said, placing a hand on Yuusei’s shoulder. “It would look cute on you.”

“I’m not cute,” Yuusei stated, firmly. His two brothers looked at him, their smiling faces- well, more of a smirk on Jack- unwavering. “Ugh, _fine_. I’ll get the ones Rally liked. But I don’t want a **word** from you two for however long they have to stay in.”

The two nodded with their [possibly?] fake smiles, pushing Yuusei into the chair. A different salesperson from before comes over, setting up the piercing gun. “The birthday boy is getting _these_ ,” Crow explained, pointing at the selected pair.

She smiled. “How old?”

“Twenty,” Jack answered. The lady looked worried, but all-in-all did not care. Jack placed the stuffed princess bear from the table into Yuusei’s lap. “She’s for the scared little girls to hold onto.”

Yuusei growled. “Why don’t I just hold your neck instead? -Crow put the phone away.”

Crow did so hesitantly. “Aww, I wanted to send the video to Rally.”

“No video,” Yuusei argued, watching the woman move the gun closer to his ear. “Sorry. They’ll be quiet. There won’t be a problem.”

* * *

Aki was busy rearranging the balloons, as Rua and Ruka disrupted them every time Bommer picked them up to set up streamers to the wall. She was about to ask them to relocate, before a knock came from the door. Kiryuu, who was outside either brooding or smoking, didn’t answer it like intended, so Aki went herself. “You’re… early-” Aki said, first seeing Crow, but stopped talking seeing Yuusei. “Yuusei! Are you crying? _...Are those Hello Kitty earrings?_ ”

Yuusei pushed his way through the trio, heading straight to the bathroom to wash his face of the tears. Crow took over. “Turns out getting your ears pierced is more painful than getting a marker.”

“It’s the juxtaposition,” Jack stated, closing his eyes and crossing his arms. “The cute purple walls and stuffed animals lull you into a false sense of security.” His eyes snapped open. “ _Then the machine stabs you._ ”

“He wasn’t in any condition to drive so he rode with me.” Crow’s lips pursed. “Can someone come back with me to get Yuusei Go later?” Aki promised to go after the party, and the three went to the main room.

Yuusei was sitting on the couch. His face was still red, but less so. The dried tears were gone and he hadn’t cried anymore since. Rua and Ruka had since gotten off Bommer’s shoulders, sitting on either side of Yuusei. In his mouth was a popsicle that the twins gave him. Rua was looking up to Yuusei’s ears, inspecting but not touching. “Did it hurt… a _lot_ lot?”

“Rua!” Ruka snapped at her twin. “Of course it did! His ears are burning red!”

“I’m better now,” Yuusei reassured, taking the popsicle out of his mouth. “I’m better now that you’re all here.”

Kiryuu laughed from his perch on the arm of the couch. “So getting impaled by a giant shard of metal won’t make you cry, but a little piercing turns you into a blubbering mess.”

“I passed out almost immediately after **_you_ ** impaled me with that thing,” Yuusei snapped, shooting a glare at Kiryuu. “Plus your ears aren’t even pierced. You don’t know what it feels like.”

A loud smile, one that reminded Yuusei of Kiryuu’s Team Satisfaction days spread across his face. “Not my ears, but I do have one on my di-”

“Dad!” Nico said, placing her hands on Kiryuu’s leg. “Stop that!” West was next to her with an equally disappointed look.

Kiryuu apologized his kids and turned back to Yuusei. “Seriously though, glad you’re feeling better now. I hope you don’t get an infection. It will all be worth it when you get to switch-”

He was cut off by a child running past him, tackling Yuusei. “Yuusei!” Rally cried, hugging Yuusei. “You’re back!” Rally looked up to Yuusei’s ears and audibly gasped. “You actually got them!”

Yuusei laughed. “I mean, I didn’t really have an excuse to get out of getting it.”

Rally’s eyes glittered all the same. “I wanna get my ears pierced too!” Yuusei made a face of worry which Rally laughed off. “Ooh! Now that you’re here, you can open presents!”

“I think our present might have accidentally opened _Yuusei_ up,” Crow teased, coming out a bit meaner than he had intended.

“None of that,” Yuusei said, getting up; the twins and Rally hopping up alongside him. “Let’s just try to have fun.”


End file.
